Half to jacob h



(No Model.)

W. E. SERGEANT.

GRAIN GLEANING- MACHINE.

Patented Feb. 22, 1887.

WITNESSES ATTORN EYS N. PETERS, Fholo'Lilhngmphur. Wnhingioll. 0.6.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WELLS E. SERGEANT, OFMINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO JACOB H. COOK, OF SAME PLACE.

GRAINeCLEANI NG MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 358,302, dated February 22, 1887.

Application tiled March 28, 1885. Renewed November 20, 1886. Serial No. 219,490. (No model.)

ing drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 of the drawings is arepresentation of this invention, and is a vertical section. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the discharge-spout, showing its valve and operating devices. Fig. 4. is a sectional detail view of the perforated jacket, showing two of the abrading-disks in position. Fig. 5 is a sectional detail view of one of the disks on an enlarged scale. Fig. 6 is a per spective view of one of the disks applied to the vertical shaft; and Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view of the fanchainber, showing the fan arranged-therein.

This invention has relation to machines for cleaning wheat.

The invention consists in the construction, novel arrangement, and adaptation of devices, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The important object which I have in view in this invention is to remove the germ and fuzzy matter from wheat without injuring or abrading the outer surface of the kernel, commonly known as the bran portion, which is designed to be cleaned by the working of grain against grain, thus preserving the natural strength of the cortical portion uninjured, so that when the grain is broken in the mill the cortex will not be reduced so fine as to adhere to middlings and thereby pass into the flour. To do this expeditiously and without employing heaters, such as have heretofore been used, is the main object of the present invention.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a draft downward through the central portion of the cleaning-chamber and supply the upward suction which is produced in the cylindrical flue leading to the fan.

. In carrying out the invention I employ a frame, A, which is provided at its upper and lower ends with hearings to sustain a vertical shaft, B.

0 indicates the outer casing. and D the inner perforated jacket or cylinder, which bounds the cleaning-chamber. This jacket D is provided with a top having an opening therein, as shown, to receive the feed-chute B, and is perforated to afford communication with the suction-fan L.

E indicates horizontal dressed rings or annular plates, which are'p rovided with vertical marginal flanges,by which they'are secured at suitable intervals, one above another, within said perforated jacket or cylinder. These rings are provided on the under side with dressed surfaces, and are placed at proper intervals from the dressed surfaces on the adjacent sides of the cleaning-disks F, which are carried by the shaft B. These disks are provided with draft-apertures near the shaft B, which are covered or provided with bridging-guards above, as indicated at Z, to prevent the downward passage of the grain through these airopenings. These disks are so adjusted upon the shaft with relation to the fixed rings, with which they respectively operate, that the distance or interval between each disk and its ring from above downward is gradually lessened, in order that the touch upon the ends of the grains of wheat as they are passing downward through the cleaning-chamber will be kept up lightly but firmly, removing the fuzzy growth by successive light touches, without having any effect to mash or press the fuzzy stuff into the grain or any recess thereof. It is of great importance to prevent this mashing of the fuzz on the end of the kernel. It can be taken off readily by light touches, but is aseasily pressed into a mass when heavily touched, and when so mashed down is not gotten rid of in the subsequent reducing processes, passing into the flour and injuring it to that extent. In the mode of operation which I have devised, by successive light touches this light injurious growth is removed.

H indicates an annular draft-passage which surrounds the perforated jacket or cylinder and communicates with the chamber I, coinmunicating with the bottom of the fan-chamher, and K indicates a flue which leads from the bottom of the machine to the top of the fan-chamber.

L indicates the fan, which is secured to the vertical shaft between the entrance from the iiue K and that from the draft-passage H. The perforated jacket or cylinder is also pro vided with lateral draft-tubes b b, which pass outward through the casing 0, between its top and bottom, and are designed to supply any deficiency of air in the cleaning-chamber.

In operation the disks are first adjusted upon the shaft at proper graduated distances from the dressed rings, as before described, the variation being about one onehundredth of an inch. Motion is then imparted to the vertical shaft, when a strong draft will be created by the suctioufau upward in thepassage H around the perforated jacket or cylinder, downward through the grain-feeding chute B and the openings in the disks, inward through the lateral tubes employed, and upward through the discharge-spout, so that there will be a sufficient supply of air to each disk to get rid of the impurities and dust as soon as separated. The grain passing into the cleaning-chamber is worked upon by the first disk and ring, beiug cleaned by the mutual friction of the kernels at the ends, more particularly by the light touches of the disk and ring as the grain passes between them and outward over the edge to the next disk, where the process is repeated, the touch upon the ends of the kernels being kept up because the distance between each succeeding disk and its ring is slightly lessened as compared with that between the disk and ring above. The dust and impurities are taken outward through the passage H and fan. The free dust fed in with the grain is at once re moved at the first disk and ring, and the dust taken off by the cleaning is taken out as the grain passes downward to be discharged. The grain is discharged through the spout which leads into the flue, in which a draft is constantly operating to draw off upward all re maining light stuff which it is desired to re move. Light kernels, germ, cockle, buckwheat, oat hulls, &c., are to be taken out through the flue. A pocket is formed at f, having a door at t, so that the character of this discharge can be inspected at any time. This flue extends to the top of the fan-chamber, and a valve, D, is arranged in it, in order that the draft can be regulated to draw up nothing except whatis designed to be discharged through the fan.

Having described this invention, what I claim is- 1. The combination, with a perforated cylinder provided with a vertical series of annular cleaning-plates, of a series of alternating rotary disks graduated in distance from said annular plates, the intervals between the disks in succession upward and their annularplates respectively being gradually increasedgvhere by the touch of the disks and plates upon the grain is kept up as the grain passes downward through the machine,substanlially asspecified.

2. The combination,with a perforated cylinder provided with a vertical series of annular cleaning-plates, and a series of alternating rotary disks, perforated for the passage of air and graduated in distance from said plates, as set forth, of the air-passage surrounding said perforated cylinder and the suction-fan, substantially as specified.

3. The combination, with a perforated cylinder provided with a vertical series of annular cleaning-plates, and having a top and a feeding-chute connected thereto,of a series of alternating rotary disks, perforated for the passage of air and provided with the bridging-guards Z, an air-passage surrounding the perforated cylinder, and a suction-fan, substantially as specified.

4. The combination, in a grain-cleaning machine, of rotating cleaning-disks and annular cleaning-plates, the said disks being arranged in succession from above downward gradually nearer the rcspective annular cleaningplates, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

\VELLS E. SERGEANT.

Witnesses:

TI-IEO. MUNGEN, PHILIP G. MAsI. 

